Almost Paradise
by Kitty Faerie
Summary: Moving to a small town after the death of his parents leaves Alfred in a pretty foul mood, but when he finds out the town has a law against all music and dancing, he sets out on a mission to change it. Can he bring music back to this small town? USUK  AU
1. No Music?

_WHAT IS THIS? ANOTHER FIC?_

_Someone kill me. I can't keep starting new fic like this ;3;_

_But I have. And THIS ONE is based on the musical Footloose~! I got inspiration because I'm in that play right now! You shouldn't need any knowledge of the musical or movie for this fic, though._

_Warnings: Boy x Boy/Yaoi, Kissing, bad language, twisting of the original Footloose story_

_Full Summary: Moving to a small hick town after the death of their parents leaves Alfred and Matthew in pretty low spirits, but when they find out the town has banned all music and dancing, Alfred sets out to change that law. Along the way, he makes friends and meets a boy named Arthur who changes his life forever. Can the teens of the town change an unfair law or are the adults still grieving and won't stand for their laws being changed? _

_Pairings: USUK (main) GerIta (semi-main) lots of background noise that is generally unimportant. _

_Now, let's start. I'll have a few more notes at the bottom including a cast list._

* * *

><p>After a while, the city had turned into plain highway which soon turned into dirt country roads. Matthew had taken the wheel for his turn to drive and Alfred sat in the passenger's seat, glaring out the window. Every now and then, Matthew would look to his right and sigh at his brother, hating the look upon his face. Even when he was driving, Alfred had a scowl.<p>

The two were going to live with their Uncle George in a small town in he middle of what Alfred considered to be nowhere. Their parents had recently died and the twins couldn't stay in Chicago all by themselves even if they were seventeen. Matthew was generally alright with the idea, though he didn't want to leave. Alfred hated the idea from the start, didn't want to leave with a passion, and often threw tantrums up until the very day they got in the car and started to drive.

Matthew turned off the exit and onto yet another dirt road. This time, though, after passing all the cows, they heard the almost forgotten sound of other cars. Coming up closer, they found themselves nearing a small town.

This town seemed a little different from a distance. It had a large gate surrounding it and even had a gate keeper. They were allowed inside with no questioning, but both felt it slightly odd that a town such as this would have such a massive gate.

Soon, they had entered and were driving down the main street. Alfred noticed quickly that the town was definitely a hick town with not even a club nor bar. All he saw were hardware stores, hair salons, and an ugly old church. He did spot a small diner that a few kids were in, but when he listened, he heard no music. This confused him greatly until he realized that he had heard no music upon entering this town. Not even classical music.

"Yo, Matt...?" Alfred began as he continued to look out the window.

His brother sighed and kept his eyes on the road. "No, Alfred, we can't turn around. We're already here anyway." Alfred has asked if they could just turn around about every hour for the past ten.

"No, no," Alfred shook his head. "I mean, if you did I would love you forever-"

"I'm your brother, you already have to love me forever."

"Not necessarily true," Alfred pointed out with a smirk. "But, that's not what I was trying to say. It's just... Do you notice anything weird about this town?"

"Alfred, come on. There are no ghosts here, I promise." This response was met with a glare from Alfred to show that answer was unwanted. "But I guess the gate was a little weird, eh? I mean, what kind of town has a gate like that? It looked like a prison gate."

"Yeah, there's that and... Matt, I don't hear any music anywhere! Not even from the diner or the hair salon! Nothing, not at all!" Alfred looked rather panicked about that, but Matthew just sighed figuring his brother was just being over dramatic.

"Yes, Alfred, because listening to music is against the law here and we're not allowed to ever have fun." Matthew rolled his eyes as he pulled up to their uncle's house and parked in the driveway. Alfred looked like be wanted to say more and was being completely serious, but didn't speak.

As the two got out of the car, their uncle came out of the house with a smile on his face. He looked just like their mother with blonde hair and deep blue eyes except that he was much heavier than she ever was. Their mother had been thin and pretty. Their uncle, however, was much heavier set, but seemed like a nice guy.

"Alfred! Mark!" he exclaimed. Matthew sighed.

"My name is Matthew, Uncle George," the blonde said softly as he got his suitcase out of the car.

"Of course it is, Marty. Now, welcome to Bomont! I hope the drive was alright!" Alfred glanced at Matthew as he pulled his own suitcase out of the car. The two were twins and often Matthew got confused for Alfred, but it was never the other way around. When Matthew wasn't called 'Alfred,' people would either not see him or would or get his name wrong. They would sometimes they would be close and call him 'Marty' or 'Mark,' but often enough, they were way off, calling him 'Ethen' or 'William.' This made Alfred both sad and angry, but neither of the brothers would do much more than correct the person.

Uncle George led the two inside his small, one story home. It was nice and cozy, though Alfred wanted to find everything wrong with it that he could just to be difficult. The couches didn't seem comfortable, the television had no cable, the refrigerator didn't seem cold enough. Alfred also wasn't too fond of the idea of sharing a room with his brother. He wasn't greedy or rude and Matthew didn't snore. He simply wasn't used to it and had always had his own room. Still, as Matthew had told him, things were going to change and in many ways not for the better.

Alfred set up his bed by the window and started putting his clothes away with a thoughtful look on his face. Matthew was doing the same.,Both brothers turned to each other after a moment with sad looking eyes.

"I miss Mom and Dad," Alfred finally said.

"I miss them too."

"I hate it here."

Matthew sighed. "We haven't even been here an hour. But... I miss Chicago. I wish we didn't have to leave, eh."

"I wish Mom and Dad hadn't died," Alfred mumbled bitterly as he moved to setting up the desk in the room. Matthew simply nodded, not wanting to put 'Mom and Dad' and 'died' in the same sentance. Both boys were holding onto the false hope that maybe the fire hadn't really happened. Maybe their parents would call and get them back home. Moving had made the loss seem all the more real and the boys weren't ready to accept that yet.

The boys stayed in the room until supper, not really in the mood to talk with their uncle. They came downstairs and sat at the simple wooden table in the center of the kitchen as their uncle set out plates of pasta for them. Alfred was looking around when he noticed something.

"Hey, Uncle George? Do you have a stereo or something? Cause I got a new CD for my birthday that I wanna listen to." Alfred looked up at his uncle and shoved a piece of food in his mouth. His uncle paused for a moment, looking at his two nephews. Right, he had to remind himself that they were new here and from the city where the laws were different. He just hoped they wouldn't get themselves in trouble later on.

"No, Al, I don't have one," George said. "We're, ah.. Not allowed to play music within the town limits."

The sound of the metal fork hitting the plate startled Matthew out of his own thoughts. He saw his brother with his mouth agape and a wild look in his eyes. This left Matthew to wonder what his uncle had said and how far Alfred was going to take it.

"No music? Ever? But what about dancing? You know, parties and fun stuff! How can a town ban music just like that?" Alfred was near shouting. He loved to dance and often dragged Matthew down to the clubs in Chicago just to dance a little. Music was Alfred's 'thing.' Singing, dancing, music; it was all what he enjoyed.

"Now calm down there, son, I know it might be a little strange since you're from the city and all, but it doesn't have a large impact on daily living here, so don't you worry." Alfred wouldn't have believed him anyway, but George had a look in his eyes that made the boy think there was more to that law than he was letting on. He decided not to push the matter, though. The trip had been long and he was tired. He just wanted to eat, go to bed, and procrastinate going to school the next day.

So, he figured he would just push it away as a joke and finish his meal. He and Matthew helped clean up before saying goodnight to their uncle. It was still early, but they weren't quite comfortable with the uncle they hardly ever saw and were still hurting from losing their home and parents.

Alfred flopped back onto the bed with a dramatic sigh and covered his face with his hands. "No music, huh? I never knew Uncle George was so funny." He turned over and looked at his brother who was reading a book on the other bed.

"Al, I don't think he was kidding. He seemed dead serious, eh?" Matthew looked up at Alfred with worry filled eyes.

"Really, bro? A town with no music? Come on," Alfred laughed. "Uncle George just doesn't have a stereo and didn't wanna admit it. I'm sure there's an electronic store that has a stereo or something. For now..." Alfred smiled and pulled out his iPod. "Doesn't have the CD I got on it, but if I find a computer, I can put it on."

"Because a computer around here will have iTunes," Matthew rolled his eyes.

"I can download it. Seriously, Matt, you don't buy this do you? It's stupid." And before Matthew could say anything else, Alfred stuck his headphones in. Matthew rolled his eyes and went back to reading.

Yes, this town was strange. They just didn't know how strange quite yet. And they didn't know of the town's darkest secret.

* * *

><p><em>Next chapter, we'll meet Arthur and most of the rest of the cast!<em>

_Cast List: _

_Ren: Alfred  
>Ariel: Arthur<br>Chuck: Francis  
>Chuck's friends: Gilbert, Antonio<br>Rusty: Feliciano  
>Wendy Jo: Kiku<br>Urleen: Romano  
>Willard: Ludwig<br>Alfred's Brother (taking the place of Ren's mom): Matthew  
>Alfred's friends: Vash, Yao, Ivan<br>Mayor (taking the place of Rev. Shaw): Germania  
>And Grandpa Rome will be in this as a Vi-like character~<em>

_* Rusty, Urleen, and Wendy Jo are somewhat going to be interchangeable. But yes, Feliciano will be 'singing' Let's Hear it for the Boy to Ludwig._

_*Yes, Arthur's horrible boyfriend is Francis, but don't worry; he's bad in the beginning, but changes by the end._

_*Most of the adults will be OCs with no importance. Like Uncle George. Get it? George? George Washington... Okay, I'll stop now. But the most important adults (Shaw and his wife) will be played by Germania and Grandpa Rome. _

_Please review! I hope this is fun x3_


	2. I Can't Stand Still!

"... fred... Alfred... ALFRED!"

The young blonde in the small twin bed jumped up like a fish out of water and fell onto the floor in a mess of pillows and blankets. Sitting up, he rubbed his head and glared at the similar looking boy who had woken him up.

"Not. Cool. Matthew," he growled and winced at the bruise on his head. His twin brother sighed and tossed Alfred a plain blue backpack filled with books and such. Alfred caught it and scowled. "I don't wanna go to school!" he whined, untangling himself from the blankets and shoving them back messily on the bed.

"Well, that's too bad," Matthew sighed, picking up his own backpack and throwing it over his shoulders in one swift motion. "We have to get going. I gave you as much time as possible. Now get dressed and get in the car or else we'll be late."

Alfred sighed and stood, stretching his stiff muscles. He pulled out a plain t-shirt and jeans out of the dresser and grabbed his bomber jacket. That jacket had been given to him by his father who had gotten it from his own father who was in World War II. Alfred loved that jacket more than anything because it made him feel close to his grandfather and now more than ever because it made him feel closer to his late father. He was never without it, even to important meetings, dances, and formal outings.

After getting dressed, there was no time for a large breakfast. He grabbed a muffin from his uncle's kitchen counter. His uncle had left earlier that morning for work at his store. Alfred didn't understand why he had to leave so early, but he didn't care. His first impression of his uncle hadn't been a good one after he got Matthew's name wrong. He figured he'd just stay away from him for the time being.

Matthew was already in the driver's seat, so Alfred got in next to him. He didn't care that Matthew was driving. It was not much of a privilege now that they had been driving for a while now. Besides, he would much rather kick back and listen to his iPod.

Music was definitely Alfred's life. He loved it more than anything. Music could express anger, fear, love, happiness, and all emotions in between. After his parents died, he turned to music to be his comfort. It was how he was able to stay strong for his brother who wasn't taking the deaths very well. When he felt particularly low, Alfred would grab his iPod, put the headphones in, and go up to the roof of their apartment building to just dance. It was silly and had anyone seen him, they would have thought him crazy, dancing on top of a ten story building. But it was something that calmed the boy and made him feel closer to the earth. He couldn't explain the feeling he got from music and didn't dare to try. He didn't want to lose it.

* * *

><p>A few miles away in the back of the school building where no one was, a blonde haired Frenchman sat perched on a dumpster. His friends, a white haired albino and a brown haired Spaniard sat on crates. They were having a cigarette before classes, something that was not allowed, but they were the so-called "Bad Touch Trio." They could do as they pleased. Especially because the albino's grandfather was the mayor of the town.<p>

Another blonde made his way into the hideout and scrunched his nose up at the smell of cigarettes. "Really? You're smoking and it isn't even eight yet?" He had a thick British accent and bright green eyes. The blue eyed Frenchman smirked down at him and put out the end of his nearly finished cigarette.

"Ah, sorry _cher_. I forgot you did not like the smell," he said carelessly as he jumped down and went over, wrapping his arms around the British boy. The other stiffened and shoved him off of him.

"Get off of me, Francis. You know I don't like to be hugged like that." He glared and took a step back.

"Oh, but Arthur, isn't that what _couples_ do?" Francis smirked at his boyfriend. Arthur shook his head and sighed. How he wanted to break up with that idiot, but Francis always made him stay every time he tried. The Frenchman was much stronger than he was and he was afraid he would hurt him if he ever tried to break up with him. Arthur just took it.

"Aw, leave him alone, Frenchy," the albino scoffed.

"Gilbert's right," the Spaniard chuckled. "He probably doesn't even want to be with you. I mean, what are you even doing with him?"

Francis smirked. "Why, anything that I want, Antonio."

"Oh yeah?" Gilbert asked with a smirk. "And what does he get out of it?"

"Why, anything that he needs!" Arthur scoffed at this and hugged his book closer to him.

"Like you'd know," the Brit said. And really, Francis didn't know what he needed. He needed a good and stable relationship with someone he trusted. Francis never provided that. Every time they were together, he would try to get in his pants.

"Well, I think you're not being fair to him," Antonio teased.

"Oh, come on. Just look at him," Francis rolled his eyes. "He'd like you to think he was born yesterday with his oh, so innocent look and his small town attitude. But what you don't see is a boy who can really take you for a ride. Why, I bet he's the devil in disguise."

"Jeeze, that boy really get's around, huh?" Gilbert said, shooting a teasing look to Arthur that made him rather uncomfortable.

"Heh, he knows what he likes and I've got what he needs." Francis responded, waving a finger. Arthur rolled his eyes.

"Yes, because you know everything about me." He glared a bit and turned to the other two. "He's trying to make you think he's the smartest man alive, but really? He can hardly count to ten! He has awful grades and never does his work." Arthur smirked at Francis. "But don't worry, _love_, your secret's safe with me. But I must say, you bore me to tears what with all your talk about beer and bikes." He glanced at the time. "Now, I'm going to be late to class. Good luck with skipping again." Before anyone could say another word, he had walked away.

"Damn, _el chico_ sure does get around," Antonio laughed. Francis glared after his boyfriend, not liking being insulted in front of his friends.

"Whatever, let's just have another smoke and get going," he sighed and sat back up on his dumpster, lighting another cigarette.

* * *

><p>"Ve! Arthur! Happy Monday!" Feliciano bounded up to his friend and pulled him into a huge hug. Arthur was startled, but smiled and hugged one of his best friends back. He didn't mind being hugged by people he actually <em>liked<em>. And to be honest, he didn't like Francis very much.

"Yes, happy Monday. I hope you had a good weekend. Where is your brother and Kiku?" Arthur asked looking around for his other friends.

"We are here, Arthur-san!" Kiku said rushing up to his friend with Feliciano's brother, Lovino, walking casually behind. Kiku was a Japanese exchange student. He and Arthur had become great friends as the years went on in this small town. Feliciano and Lovino were twin brothers who had moved from Italy when they were very young with their grandfather. Lovino tended to be rather rude, but Arthur knew that deep down he really cared for his friends.

"Did you meet up with Francis again?" Kiku asked, sniffing the air. "I am sorry, but you smell like smoke." Arthur sighed and brushed at his clothes as if the smell would get off of him that easily.

"Yes, he told me to meet up with him before school. All he did was berate be in front of his stupid friends. But don't worry," Arthur said with a dangerous smirk. "I got him back a little."

"You shouldn't date that bastard," Lovino huffed. "He's nothing but trouble."

"Yes! My brother is right," Feliciano cried. "Francis always hurts you! He's a bad person. Please, break up with him, Arthur. You're too good for him." Arthur sighed and rubbed his head.

"I want to, but he'll never let me. Every time I try, he threatens me. I don't want to get hurt nor do I want anyone in the future who I'd date to get hurt by him." Arthur managed a smile. "Besides, I can handle myself. Now, shall we get to class? We'll be late."

"Yes, Arthur-san, you are right," Kiku sighed, wishing his friend would listen to them. Unfortunately, Arthur never listened to his friends about Francis and they were all worried that one day Francis would really do something that would physically injure their best friend. Keeping these thoughts to themselves, they followed Arthur to their first class.

* * *

><p>Alfred looked down at the paper in his hands. It showed him all the classes he would be taking and where they were. He was just happy it was lunch. He didn't like the school much, though he was sort of trying to find things to dislike. He didn't like the teachers or the classmates or the rooms. He hated most of his subjects and his brother had to remind him over and over to not be difficult.<p>

Sighing, he took his bagged lunch to a tree in the yard. He and Matthew didn't have the same lunch period and he was all alone. Along the way, he hit something rock hard and fell backwards a few steps.

"Woah! Sorry, bro! Didn't see you there," he said calmly and looked up into the face of a blue eyed German boy. The boy glared.

"I could kill you for running into me like that. Most people around here would," he growled. Another blonde haired man approached. His eyes were bright green and narrowed in a glare. His hair was a little shorter than shoulder length. Finally, a brown haired man came up. He looked slightly timid and his eyes were also timid.

"Wait, you could kill me?" Alfred asked. The German nodded. In a dramatic motion, Alfred collapsed to his knees and held out his hands in a begging position. "Oh, please kill me! Please, please please!"

"What the hell's wrong with you?" the other blonde asked with a thick Swiss accent. "You actually _want_ someone to kill you?"

"Yes! I hate it here! I just want to go back to Chicago!"

The brunette's eyes flashed in recognition. "Oh! You're the new kid from Chicago that everyone's talking about! I'm Toris. The one you ran into is Ludwig and the other is Vash. It's nice to meet you."

"I'm Alfred," Alfred smiled and stood again, gathering his stuff. Then he frowned. "Now that we know each other, you're not gonna kill me are you?" The other two sighed and shook their heads. "Damn... Hey, you wanna eat and listen to some music?" he asked casually. "I have my iPod and I just got the new Lady GaGa ablum so—"

"No." Ludwig said shortly.

"And I would suggest you put that away," Vash said, pointing to Alfred's blue iPod. "Unless you want it taken."

"Taken? I didn't hear anything about no iPods in school," Alfred said, looking confused.

"There's no iPod's in school," Toris said. "Or... Within the town limits." Alfred's mouth dropped. "It's against the law to listen to music, sing, or dance in Bomont."

"What?" Alfred cried. "That's crazy!"

Ludwig glared. "You would quiet down? You're going to draw attention to yourself and I'm sure you don't want that." Alfred met his glare.

"What do you mean I can't dance? I can't live without being able to dance or listen to music or sing!"

"It's the way it is," Vash responded. "You'll just have to deal with it!"

Alfred's eyes took on a determined and dangerous expression. He threw his backpack down and jumped back. "I never walk when I can run, don't believe I ever could," he started to sing a little and sway his hips. Toris' mouth opened and he put a hand up to cover it. Ludwig's eyes widened and Vash glared.

"Everyone tries to slow me down, but dude, I just can't!" Alfred continued, swaying to the beat he was making. He stomped his feet to continue it and give him something to dance off of. "Everyone tells me I gotta chill, but that ain't gonna happen! Cause, I can't stand still."

He then smirked and jumped onto a table, starting to really dance. He turned his iPod on and started playing an instrumental that would keep the beat for him. "I called the doctor and asked him for a pill, but he didn't have one!" he sang. "So I never found relief, don't believe I ever will. Now I just gotta keep moving cause I can't stand still!"

He moved his hips and kicked his legs, doing a small ball change and box step. "Back were I come from, life's not this hum drum! Life's fun and awesome and you get to dance all day long!" He started to belt out the song he was making up off the top of his head, not noticing that everyone was staring at him. Even if he noticed it, he wouldn't have cared.

"Never thought I'd have to leave my home, but guess I had to. So now I'm here and I gotta tone it down. Gotta watch my P's and Q's. Gotta look before I leap, but dude, what's the use?" he continued to dance in a fashion none of the other children had ever seen before. Everyone had their mouths open, knowing he was breaking the biggest rule the town had.

It was then that Arthur walked in with his tray followed by Kiku, Lovino, and Feliciano. He heard the singing and his head snapped up to the table where Alfred was singing and dancing for all to watch. His eyes widened and he almost dropped his tray. Kiku placed a hand over his mouth, Lovino glared, and Feliciano cheered until Lovino told him to shut up.

"I love the feeling of dancing 'til I drop, so don't suggest I should stop," Alfred sang, starting to finish. "Because. I. Can't. Stand. Still!" He jumped off the table and did a back flip, sticking the landing perfectly. He waited with his jazz hands up for people to clap, but only a few did. Everyone was looking extremely shocked and he couldn't figure out why.

"Mr. Jones!" a voice boomed, startling Alfred from his pose. He looked over at the principal and smiled brightly and innocently.

"Hey, Mr. Johnson! 'Sup?" he greeted, making Ludwig and Vash hit the heads with their palms at the same time. Toris sighed.

"'Sup?'" Mr Johnson glared. "Might I ask what you were doing just now?"

"Oh, I was just showing everyone a few moves I picked up in Chicago," Alfred answered easily, starting to do another box step. Ludwig shoved him away, making Alfred trip over his twisted feet.

"Please, excuse him, sir. He's new around here and we were _trying_ to tell him the rules around here," Ludwig glared over at Alfred who stood up.

"Good and you can continue to inform him all the way to my office," Mr. Johnson said. The entire yard made an 'ooo' noise and he turned to face everyone. "And I think we all have someplace to be, yes?" The kids snapped out of their teasing posture and made a beeline for their lockers.

Alfred managed to hide his iPod before Mr. Johnson got it. "Sorry, guys. I didn't mean to get you in trouble."

"It's okay, Alfred," Toris smiled. "You didn't know. I guess this town's just a little different from Chicago, huh?"

"You can say that again," Alfred rolled his eyes and gathered his stuff as the three made their way to the office. They were aggravated that the new kid had gotten them in trouble, but Alfred seemed like a good guy.

Arthur turned to Kiku. "Who _is_ that?" he asked. "Is he stupid or something?"

"I heard he is the new kid from Chicago. He moved here with his brother," Kiku responded.

"He's... Different," Arthur observed.

"Yes, very."

Arthur then smirked. "I think he's an idiot... But I like him."

* * *

><p><em>Now things are picking up!<em>

_Songs loosely used: _The Girl Gets Around, I Can't Stand Still

_I'm not going to use actuall song lyrics, but somewhat abridge them or make a scene on them._

_Francis does not stay the bad guy forever. Antonio and Gilbert are nice as well ;3_

_I just threw Toris in there 'cause I wanted to. So, possible LietPol, maybe Estonia/Lithuania (don't judge me xD)_

_Reviews make me VERY happy. So, review if you have the chanse!_


	3. Somebody's Eyes

"God, this sucks!"

"It's not so bad, Al. Maybe if you at least _tried_ to like this town, you would find yourself happier."

"I'd still hate it."

Matthew glared at his brother before quickly turning back to the road in front of him. They had been living in Bomont for a whole week and Alfred complained each and every day. He hated this town and especially hated the law that stated people couldn't dance.

He had looked it up and sure enough, there was a law against it. Everyone he had asked, however, wouldn't tell him why the rule was in place. He could tell it wasn't something that had been enacted right when the town began. No, everyone's face held the recollection of a bad memory every time he brought it up. Uncle George avoided every question and had a fit when he discovered Alfred had an iPod. He told the boy to keep it at home and hidden in a drawer. Alfred said he would, but completely ignored his uncle's request. He brought it with him everywhere.

He and Toris became great friends and Vash and Ludwig hung around them as well. As much as the two blondes yelled at Alfred, it was hard to stay away from his spunk and confidence. He hadn't danced on any lunch tables since the incident the previous week, but he would sing in the hallways and try to show people dance moves. He was constantly getting in trouble with the principal and the adults in the town started to greatly dislike the energetic American boy.

For instance, his uncle had managed to get him a job at his friend's hardware shop, but Alfred was fired right away. Toris had come in wanting changed for a dollar and when the owner saw Alfred's hand in the cash register, he freaked out and fired him right away. Even when Alfred tried to explain himself, the only person who believed him was Matthew and his other friends.

Alfred had also joined the wrestling team, but he got into a fight with a few of the other guys and got blamed for causing a fight. When he was yet again dragged to the Principal's office, he was suspended from the team.

He walked into the school, Matthew going the other way to get to his first class. Alfred went to his locker and put his iPod away, then started to unload his books. He was just picking up his books for the first few classes when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked up and into bright brown eyes and a smiling face.

"Hi! I'm Feliciano!" the boy greeted in a thick Italian accent. Alfred smiled and stood, holding his books.

"Hey, dude! I'm Alfred F. Jones. Just moved here from Chicago with my brother, Mattie."

"Yes! I know! I saw you dance last week and it was really, really cool!" Feliciano jumped up and down, clapping his hands. Alfred laughed at his enthusiasm until a similar looking boy harshly slapped Feliciano's shoulder and held him down.

"Would you stop jumping around like an idiot?" the other growled. "You'll get in trouble. And what are you doing with _him_? Are you trying to get detention, Feli?"

"No, but he's cool and I like him!" Feliciano whined. He then turned to Alfred and smiled, taking the other boy's hand off his shoulder and waving it around. "This is my twin brother, Lovino! He's mean, but he can be nice too! Oh, and he has a really bad mouth! But I love him anyway!"

"I don't have a bad mouth, you asshole!" Lovino shouted. Alfred laughed.

"I have a twin too! That's cool, huh? Well, it's nice to meet you two! It's been tough these past few weeks. I'm happy I'm finally starting to make some cool friends who don't want to chop my balls off for wanting to dance."

"Who said we were your friends, bastard?" Lovino growled, but the other two ignore him.

"Yay!" Feliciano shouted, clapping his hands again. "We have a new friend! Isn't that awesome, Lovino? I love making new friends!"

"You made a new friend?" a voice from behind questioned. The twins turned around to face a short blonde boy with emerald green eyes and the thickest eyebrows Alfred had ever seen who was followed by another short Japanese boy. The eyebrow kid was carrying a bunch of books and was wearing khakis and a nice top, much different from what the other kids were wearing. Alfred himself was wearing ripped jeans and a T-shirt. Still, Alfred thought the boy looked pretty hot, even with the eyebrows.

"Hey, dude! Sup? I'm Alfred! Alfred F. Jones. I'm from Chicago."

The green eyed boy looked him up and down before glaring. "Yes, I saw your little show a week ago. I must say, it was pretty good, but you're not going to last long here if you don't stop trying to dance. The law is what it is and I suggest you don't try to change it single handed. You will be struck down." Oh God, he had a British accent. It was probably the sexiest thing Alfred had ever heard.

"Who said I'd be doing it single handed?" Alfred smirked when he got his voice back. "And you didn't introduce yourself. Ain't that a little rude?" The Brit glared.

"First off, 'ain't' isn't a word. And my name is Arthur. Arthur Kirkland."

"Cool! Nice to meet ya, Artie!"

"It's Arthur."

"Artie?"

"No, Arthur."

"Ah! Art?"

"_Arthur_."

"... Artie?"

Arthur glared dangerously at him and felt about ready to kick this stupid American in the shin, but controlled himself. Alfred, of course, smirked at him as though he knew some funny secret about the other.

"Whatever," Arthur snapped and turned away. "I have to go to class anyway." With that, he stomped off down the hall and out of sight. Alfred laughed.

"He's pretty cool."

"And taken, bastard." Lovino said with a smirk. The Japanese boy and Feliciano glared at the other Italian.

"Taken? Really? Man, I can see why! He's hot!" Alfred smiled, but inside he was a little disappointed.

The Japanese boy laughed bitterly. "You like him, huh? Well, it seems that his boyfriend has far too strong a hold on him. Good luck trying to date him." He sighed and looked down, worried for his friend. "But anyway, I am Kiku Honda. I assume you already met Feliciano-san and Lovino-san?"

"Yeah, nice to meet you, Kiku! And I knew Japanese people used those ending things! I read some manga and... Hey, do you like manga and anime?" Alfred smiled excitedly. Kiku sighed.

"Yes, I do. But please do not stereotype me," he requested, though he was probably the first person someone would think of when talking about a Japanese person.

"Alright, Alright, dude," Alfred laughed. "Still you dudes seem pretty cool. It's nice to meet you." Lovino rolled his eyes, Kiku nodded with a slight bow, and Feliciano clapped his hands happily.

"So, how has your stay in Bomont been?" Kiku asked.

"Horrible," Alfred said in a monotone voice. "I hate it here! It's awful! How can you guys stand to live here?"

"We have been living here nearly our whole lives. I exchanged here when I was young and Lovino-san and Feliciano-san moved here when they were born with their grandfather who is the local priest."

"Ah, I see," Alfred nodded.

"What don't you like it here?" Feliciano asked with a pouty frown.

"It's just... I feel like everyone's watching me." Alfred shuddered and looked around.

"Well, they probably are," Kiku said solemnly. Alfred's eyes asked 'what?' but Feliciano instantly started to speak.

"Careful what you do, someone's onto you!" he said with a frown.

"Careful what you say, bastard," Lovino continued.

"You are on display," Kiku added. "All hours of the night and all hours of the day."

"There's always someone hiding in the great unknown." Feliciano moved over to Alfred and gently touched his shoulder. "And every time you think you're all alone, somebody's watching!"

Kiku moved next to Alfred and touched his other shoulder. "Somebody's eyes are seeing you come and go."

"Somebody is out there, bastard," Lovino glared and stayed where he was, staring down the American. "Waiting for the show. And it isn't the one you put on last week."

"You've got no disguise," Feliciano nodded.

"From somebody's eyes," the three said together.

Alfred looked between them, his eyes holding a confused look. He had no clue what to make of that little dialogue. Surely, no one would actually be watching him like that. That was just creepy and it wouldn't happen... Right? Sure, the town was small and the people mean, but stalking was a little crazy.

"Look, I'm sure I'll be fine guys." Alfred chuckled awkwardly.

"Not in this town," Feliciano replied quickly.

"Dude, you don't know me."

"You don't know Bomont, bastard!" Lovino growled.

"Oh yeah?" Alfred rolled his eyes. "Then please, tell me all the things I 'can't' do in this stupid town."

The three exchanged glances before Feliciano started to speak again. "Well... First off, you gotta be careful how you speak and if someone's mean, turn the other cheek. Lovino has problems with that sometimes." Lovino growled at him, but Feliciano didn't notice. "And... Oh, don't ever think naughty thoughts 'cause if you get caught, you're gonna be in a lot of trouble!"

"And people here can tell whatever shit you're thinking," Lovino added with a mysterious look in his eyes that made Alfred even more uncomfortable.

"Never laugh too loud, never leave a crowd, never dress risque," Kiku listed off.

"And if you have anything to hide, think twice before you go outside," Feliciano finished. "Because somebody's eyes are always, always watching."

Alfred looked at them as though they were crazy. They had officially creeped him out. Now he was going to be paranoid that someone was watching him at all towns. Oh, how he just wanted to stow away on an airplane and go back to Chicago. These boys had given him a million more reasons to hate Bomont even more!

"O-Okay, guys. Uh, t-thanks for the advice... See ya!" Alfred gathered his books and shut his locker, starting to rush off to class.

"Oh, and Alfred?" Kiku called before Alfred could rush off. When he turned around, Kiku had a mischievous smirk on his face. It looked strangely out of place for such a quiet boy.

"Y-Yeah?"

"Welcome to Bomont."

* * *

><p><em>And here's the latest chapter, based off the song <em>Somebody's Eyes._ I really like that song. Wish I coulda done it better justice. It's hard when you have three characters to make "sing". One is much easier. Hopefully, two won't be so bad._

_And I'm sorry for the mistakes last chapter. I'll get those eventually Dx _

_Thank you for all of your lovely reviews! Love you all! They mean so, so much to me! Please keep them coming!_


	4. Holding out for a Hero

A few more weeks passed and Alfred never found out exactly why Bomont had the law that it did. All he knew was that every time he tried to dance, he was dragged into the principal's office. The only place he could dance was in his room which was small and often filled with clutter. Though he tripped over clothes, books, and various other items, he wasn't about to give up dancing just because of some stupid law.

His uncle wasn't happy with him losing the job at the hardware store. Alfred didn't really care. He didn't like the owner and if that stupid man was going to fire him for something he didn't do, so be it. He set out to find a better, more awesome job that would get him a good pay check and popular with the kids at school.

He wasn't doing very well socially at school in all honestly. Most of the kids thought he was an idiot and a jerk and didn't look past his obnoxiousness to see what a kind guy he really was. He and Toris became great friends and Ludwig, Vash, and a Polish boy named Felks also joined their group. Kiku, Feliciano, and Lovino were friendly with Alfred and his group, especially Feliciano who seemed to have a crush on Ludwig. The large German was seemingly oblivious to the poor Italian who was oblivious to the fact that Ludwig seemed to like him back. Both groups found this amazingly funny.

Alfred was never formally introduced to Francis or his friends, but Arthur's friends would talk about how they didn't really like him much and how they wished Arthur would break up with him. Alfred and Arthur talked every now and then, but the Brit seemed uninterested in the American.

Alfred did end up with a job at the local restaurant called the Burger Blast owned by a Miss Betty Blast. He was required to wear a red and white striped shirt and roller skates. The pay was pretty good, though, and his boss was pretty nice.

One Saturday evening, he had his shift from three in the afternoon until ten. Business was somewhat slow, especially for a Saturday, so he ended up taking a few mini breaks with his friends. Toris, Ludwig, Felks and Vash had shown up to support Alfred at his new job.

"Hey, Ludwig, like, look," Felks said in his valley-girl accent, pointing to the door as the four of them sipped their drinks. "Feliciano's here with his friends. You should totally go make a move." The other four boys turned and saw Arthur, Feliciano, Kiku, and Romano sitting down at a booth across the store. The four picked up their menus as they talked and Arthur pulled out a book.

"You're really going to read while we eat?" Lovino asked with a glare. Arthur looked right back at him and returned the harsh gaze.

"And why not? I can't read these books at home," Arthur snapped. "I have to read censored and appropriate books that Mr. Germania picks out."

"That is most unfortunate," Kiku said with a frown. "I could lend you some manga to read at school if you would like." Arthur shook his head.

"No, thank you. I'd rather read regular, real books. It's amazing, really. In books I can escape to other worlds. I can meet people who amaze me!" Arthur smiled to himself, completely lost in a little world he had created. The other three laughed.

"Yeah, because no one in Bomont amazes you?" Lovino asked sarcastically. Arthur rolled his eyes.

"Yes, this hick town is just _so_ amazing," Arthur responded with the same sarcasm. "I like meeting new people in books."

"Alfred-san is new," Kiku pointed out. Arthur scoffed.

"Just because someone is new doesn't mean they amaze me."

"Is is pretty interesting, though. You must give him that."

"I guess..." Arthur shrugged and looked down at the book. The other three exchanged looks, wondering what he was thinking. But surely Arthur and Francis' relationship wasn't very good if Arthur had to turn to books to find amazing new people.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! Look!" Feliciano suddenly shouted. "Luddy's coming over here! Act cool, kay?" he smiled stupidly and stuck a pencil in his mouth, trying to seem smart. However, he stuck the tip in his mouth so the eraser was sticking out.

Egged on by his friends, Ludwig uncomfortably made his way over to the table. "Hey. How's it going?" he asked gruffly, looking everywhere but the four people in front of him.

"Oh, you know. Good. Okay. Great." Feliciano, Lovino, and Kiku exchanged glances, realizing they had spoken at the same time. Arthur was too engrossed in his book to even nod to Ludwig.

"How's it going with you, Ludwig? Ve!" Feliciano asked with a smile.

"Good."

Then they sat there... And sat there... and sat there. The two looked off into the distance for at least a minute. They didn't speak or move, just stared in the awkward silence. The awkwardness was so heavy, it made Arthur look up from his book.

"Well, nice talking to you." Ludwig finally said and walked away. Feliciano smiled and waved goodbye excitedly.

"Yeah you two idiots sure do have a fucking 'connection.'" Lovino scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"When are you two dolts going to have a real conversation?" Arthur asked with a sigh, going back to his book.

"Oh, Luddy's not capable of a real conversation." Feliciano smiled. "But he's still dreamy! Ve...!" Lovino slapped him on the shoulder. "Ow! That was mean! Why did you do that, _fratello_?" Feliciano pouted and looked at his twin brother with teary eyes.

"Because you shouldn't hold an interest in that goddamn potato bastard!" Lovino shouted back. "He's an idiot and I'm not going to let my little brother date a bastard!"

"But, _fratello_, I know his parents were married when they had him..."

~.x.~

"So, how'd it go, Ludwig?" Alfred asked as he stood up shakily on his rollerskates to let the German back in and go take orders. Ludwig sighed and slid into the booth. The other three males looked at him expectantly.

"It doesn't matter." Ludwig finally said gruffly.

"Of course it matters! Come on, dude, we all know you like him! So, what did you talk about?"

"Well... We said hello..."

"... And...?"

"And then I left." The other boys looked at each other before sighing and slapping their foreheads. Ludwig could be as clueless as Feliciano when it came to love. Alfred pat Ludwig on the shoulder before going over to Arthur's table to take orders.

"And what can I get you dudes tonight?" He asked, rolling up on his skates.

"Diet coke, bastard," Lovino snapped.

"One diet coke, please," Kiku said with a slight nod of his head.

"I'll have..." Feliciano scrunched up his face in thought. "The spaghetti and meatballs with extra cheese and then extra spaghetti on the side. And the ziti and shells with extra cheese and meatballs and extra sauce too... And a diet coke." The other three snickered, but said nothing about Feliciano's odd order.

"Ah... Okay," Alfred replied with a slightly confused face as he wrote down the extra large order. "And what can I get you, Arthur?"

Arthur looked up at the blonde eyed boy and smirked. "Oh, it's not on the menu," he said slyly and returned to his book. Lovino rolled his eyes, but Felicicano and Kiku exchanged glances that made Alfred blush.

"R-Right... Okay, I'll be back with that order." He smiled before skating away to his friends. Toris was walking back from the bathroom and Alfred all but tackled him back into the men's room. Seeing the restroom empty, he looked back to his brunette friend.

"Okay, tell me everything you know about Arthur Kirkland," Alfred whispered. Toris looked at him for a moment before trying to think of what to say.

"U-Uh... Well, I know he's been kissed a lot..." Toris replied lamely, making Alfred sigh.

"By...?"

"Well, by a lot of people, Alfred. Especially Francis. And if Francis sees you flirting with him, there's going to be a whole lot of trouble that you do _not_ want." Alfred looked at his friend for a moment before smirking.

"I'm going to win his heart!" he proclaimed.

"... Francis'?"

"No, dude! Arthur's! I'm gonna make Arthur like me!"

"Francis will kill you."

"Like I said before, I'd rather be dead than stuck here in Bomont." Toris sighed and wriggled out of Alfred's grasp. He opened his mouth to protest more, but realized that the blonde was dead set on his decision. There was no way to get him to change his mind and Toris figured that might end up for the best.

~.x.~

"So, how is it going with Francis, Arthur-kun?" Kiku asked. Arthur looked up from his book and sighed before looking down. "Not well, I assume...?"

"Not well at all. Stupid git's always ditching me. We have a date tonight.. I don't even think I want to go."

"Then don't. If that bastard's just going to lead you on, then dump his scrawny ass." Lovino said firmly. He was probably the only one in the group that would actually tell Arthur to dump Francis so bluntly. However, no one took his swearing and tough language seriously since he had proven to be a coward before.

"I can't, though." Arthur sighed. "Just image what he'd do if I tried to break up with him." The other three looked at each other. They had seen the bruises on Arthur's arms before. And Arthur's parents didn't abuse him at all. They had to have come from Francis. It wasn't often, nor were there many, but they were there all the same.

"You need to find someone else, Arthur! You're just getting hurt by him!" Feliciano frowned.

"I need a hero," Arthur said heavily, looking down at the ornate cover of his latest fantacy book. "Like in these novels."

"A hero?" Kiku asked.

"Yes, a hero. Where have all the good men gone and where are all the gods?" Arthur asked, waving the small paperback in the air. "Where's Hercules to fight for me on the streets? Where is the... The white knight upon a beautiful steed?"

"You know, Alfred-san always says he's a hero," Kiku said hopefully. Arthur rolled his eyes.

"I need a _real_ hero. He must be fast and strong and fresh from the fight. He must be sure and confident and he must come soon. And... He has to be larger than life." Arthur smiled to himself, tracing the cover of his book with his thumb. "Just like in my books."

"Larger than life?" Feliciano asked. "Like a giant?"

"No, like a hero," Arthur responded.

"Oh yeah?" Lovino smirked. "And where is this so-called 'hero'?"

"In my wildest fantasy," Arthur sighed. "Somewhere after midnight, somewhere just beyond my reach, he's reaching back for me... Racing on... On thunder, and rising with the heat. And then he'll come, just like superman and sweep me off my feet!"

"That sounds so romantic!" Feliciano sang.

"That sounds so stupid." Lovino rolled his eyes.

"Look at his eyes," Kiku chuckled. "He is lost to us." Sure enough, Arthur was looking out at nothing, lost in his own little world. He was daydreaming, as he often did, of a wonderful man who never hurt nor harmed him and actually cared about him.

"Up where the mountains meet the heavens and lightning splits the sea, I know there is somewhere watching me," Arthur sighed. "Through wind and cold and rain, storm and flood. I can feel his aproach like fire."

"Arthur, you should be a writer," Kiku laughed, his voice finally making Arthur snap out his his daydream. The Brit blushed and looked down at the book.

"I would love to. I just want to get out of this stupid town, write my books, and travel the world." He looked up at the clock and gasped, jumping out of his seat so the chair flew back. This startled his friends who looked at him worriedly. "It's eight thirty! I'm a half hour late for that blasted date!" Arthur scrambled to put his book in his bag. He had just turned around when the front door slammed shut.

"Arthur!" a voice boomed. Almost everybody in the diner turned to look at the young French boy who had just walked in with a scowl on his face. He walked up to the table and stared down Arthur. "Where were you? You were supposed to meet me a half hour ago!"

"I know, Francis," Arthur sighed, rubbing his temple. "I lost track of time. I'm sorry."

"I don't like being made a fool of, _mon cher_," Francis spat.

"Will you be joining these guys for dinner?" Alfred skated up to the group, having noticed something was off. He was worried that Francis would get angry and hurt Arthur. He smiled and winning smile and Francis turned to glare at him. He looked the American up and down before smirking and pushing him backwards. The force sent Alfred rolling backwards into the kitchen where he fell and pots and pans crashed around him.

"Let's go." Francis turned back to Arthur and grabbed his arm forceful. Arthur's eyes widened. He glared at his boyfriend and shook his hand off.

"No."

"What did you say?" Francis blinked, then glared.

"I said no. What part of that don't you understand, frog?"

Francis smirked and came up to Arthur, wrapping his arms around him and placing a hand on his butt. "Oh, when Arthur Kirkland gets fiery... it just makes me hot!" Francis said seductively. Arthur growled and shoved him away.

"I believe the dude said no!" Alfred, Felks, and Toris came rushing over. Alfred had thrown off his skates the the other two had gone to make sure he was alright. He quickly told them something bad was going to happen if they didn't step in and darted back to where Arthur was.

"Alfred, just leave," Arthur snapped.

"Oh, yes? And who are you? The new student, _non_?" Francis glared at him, ignoring Arthur.

"Oh, right. I don't believe we've been formally introduced," Alfred said. He stuck out his hand, throwing it out about an inch from Francis' face. "I'm Alfred. Alfred F. Jones. Nice to meet ya."

Francis glared and slapped the hand away. "Get your hand out of my face," he said angrily. "And get your face out of my sight."

"Hey, Frenchy, are you, like, looking for a fight?" Felks asked, starting to pose.

"No, no!" Alfred turned to the Polish boy. "No fighting. You are _not_ losing me this job!"

"Like, move, Alfie! I got this!" Felks moved forward to hit Francis, but Alfred and Toris grabbed him back. The Pole struggled, much to the amusement of everyone around them. A bunch of the kids in the diner started to cheer him on, begging the Polish boy to hit Francis, but Alfred and Toris held him firm.

"Hey... HEY!" A voice called and a young blonde woman on roller skates came into the dining area and over to where the almost-fight was being held. "Do we have a problem here?"

"N-No, Miss Blast," Alfred stammered. "I was just helping to serve your valued customers." Francis rolled his eyes and Arthur, Feliciano, and Kiku chuckled. Miss Blast looked at the scene and knew that Francis had been picking a fight again. It was often that he and Arthur fought, even at the quiet diner.

"Francis, your pickup truck is parked in the handicapped space," Miss Blast glared. "And that is a space we reserve for people with _physical_ not _emotional_ disabilities." The entire diner errupted in laughter and Francis turned bright red. With a glare, he turned and stormed out of the the diner. He pushed Alfred away harshly.

"You haven't seen the last of me," He promised before stomping out the door. Alfred glared after him as Miss Blast motioned for him to follow her to her office. With a sigh, he followed.

"I know, I know. I'll turn in my skates," he sighed, knowing he was about to be fired.

"Now hold up," she said. "I'll see you back here on Monday after school." Alfred smiled brightly.

"You mean...?"

"Yes, you can keep your job. I know you were tryin' to protect Mr. Kirkland there." She smiled and handed him his paycheck. He smiled at her.

"Thank you! Thank you!" Alfred said over and over until she finally shoved him out of her office. When he left, Arthur was waiting for him, his friends having left and Alfred's friends no where in sight as well.

"I... Thank you," Arthur mumbled, flushing bright red.

"Hey, no problem. It's what a hero does," Alfred smiled. Arthur looked at him for a long moment.

"Come on, there's something I want to show you." he said, starting to walk out.

"Where are we going?"

Arthur turned and smirked. "You'll see. Now come on."

* * *

><p><em>And here's Felks :3 <em>

_I PROMISE I'll go back and fix all the mistakes. I just wanted to get the next chapter out before I go to the show_

_Yes, I'm performing in Footloose tonight~_

_Sorry for any OOC, I'm trying to use actual lines from the play._

_Song used: I Need a Hero_

_Thank you all for your support! Please review!_


	5. Author's Note

Well I guess this is a little late and long overdue.

How is everyone? Good I suppose, right? It's been about two years or so, maybe more, maybe less. Looking back on these works that I published, I see a LOT that needs to be worked on. Now, now, don't say it. Yes, at the time, they were my very best writing, but now? Oh dear GOD no. No, no, no. I cringe at that thought.

I have to say that I've lost inspiration for writing in this fandom, if that hasn't been obvious already. It's too yaoi-obsessed, and frankly, I like the het pairings better. As the years went on I fell in love with fem characters and roleplaying had an effect on me that made my writing and characters change for the better. I still enjoy my yaoi and I adore yuri, but I feel that any het stories I would write wouldn't be as appreciated in the fan fiction fandom

I've also come to realize that writing fan fiction is no longer profitable for me at the moment. I've learned all I can from it. Now it's time for me to really expand my writing abilities and write my own original works. Who knows? Maybe one day you'll see it on the shelves.

I'm not done with Hetalia by any means. I roleplay on Facebook under the name Alfred ChickenNugget Jones. If you're a roleplayer, hit me up! But do keep in mind that my Alfred is straight :)

I am thankful for all that this has taught me. I'm thankful for the friends I made. I'm thankful for that one Spanish class where I goofed off, googled The Secret Saturdays (my favorite show at the time) and stumbled across fan fiction. I'm grateful for my horrid OCs and Mary Sues. And I'm very grateful for the stories I have written here and all the reviews I have received. I added it up once. I think I have a little over 2,000 reviews total. Wow!

Anyway, if this note has not already been obvious enough, I am not continuing any of my stories. I'm really sorry, but please understand that after over a year I have lost all inspiration, I have schoolwork to do, and those stories aren't worth my time. My style has changed and my writing is much better. I don't have time to go back and edit every little thing.

I wish you all luck and good health. I wish you the very best in your writings and readings. I hope you all continue to enjoy the Hetalia fandom as I do, despite its feminizing male characters, yaoi obsessed, fem-hating tendencies. If you're ever looking for a sane fan to talk to, I'm always on my Facebook account :)

Thanks for all the support you have given me. It has gotten me through a lot of hard times. I can honestly say I love you all and I can only wish the best for all of you

~Kat


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